Knitting-machine



(No Model.) I v 2 Sheets-Sheet l. D. C. BELLS.

- KNITTING MA CHINE.

No. 551,559. m5511555 June 9, '1595,

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. C. BELLIS.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 561,559. A Patented June 9, 1896.

NrTnn STATES PATENT rrrcn,

KNITTING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,559, dated J une 9, 1896.

Serial No. 540,371. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID C. BELLIS, a cilizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth,

in the county of Union and State of New .Ier-` sey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a'speciiication.

My invention relates to those knitting-inachines which produce ribbed fabrics and are commonly callec rib-frames.7

The object of my invention is to construct a machine which is capable of producing a two-ply rib-knit webbing or of providing a backingon the ribbed knit fabric, which may be of a different material from that of which the body of the fabric is composed, while the latter is being produced by the machine.

The ribbed knit fabric with backing produced by a circular or flat knitting machine forms the su bj ect-matter of an application for a patent filed of even date herewith. (Serial No. 540,370.)

The invention consists of a knitting-machine having two sets of needles disposed at an angle to each other, to produce a ribbed knit fabric, and one or more sets of jacks or loopers operated to act in conjunction with the needles to interlace a supplemental thread with the meshes composing the body of the ribbed fabric produced by the said two sets of needles.

The invention further consists of the improvements hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

The invention willbe more fully understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in

which- Figure lis a vertical section on different radii of a circular-knitting machine, the secposition with the cylinder-needles. Fig. 3 is a top view of the machine, showing the driving .mechanism for the needle-dial and jackbed. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on lines 4 4 of Fig. l, showing the jack-cams and jackbed, as well as the needle-cylinder and the positions of the vertical needles, horizontal needles, and jacks. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the different cams employed for the needles and jacks, and showing the relative positions of the said cams and Fig. 6 is a view showing the operation of the two sets of needles and cams to produce the improved ribbed web.

Referring now to the drawings for a further description of my invention, D is the machinebed of a circular-knitting machine provided with the usual stationary cam-cylinder CZ and the rotatable needle-cylinder c for the vertical needles o and o2. eis the rotatable needle-dial for the horizontal needles h, which latter are actuated by cams on the stationary cam-dial e. These parts are constructed in the well-known manner, and the needle-cylinder c and needle-dial e are operated from the main shaftfby the bevel-gears f and f"2 and by other devices hereinafter more fully described.

To produce a plain ribbed fabric, the vertical needles o o2 and horizontal needles 7t, above mentioned, are necessary only 3 but to produce a backing on such fabric while the latter is being produced devices must be provided which bring the backing or supplemental thread from the inside of the machine over the needles at certain and predetermined intervals,.so that it may be interlaced with the meshes of the fabric, as will be hereinafter more fully described. Various devices may be employed to accomplish this; but preference is given to jacks j jz, which are of such dimensions as to pass between the needles and of such strength and stiifness as to sustain wear and tear. These jacks or loopers j j2 are mounted in grooves of a conical jack-bed JQ fastened to the needle-dial e in any suitable manner.` In the present instance an annular ring 3'4, having a feather js itting' into a groove of the dial e, is secured to the dial by the screws ju, and the conical jack-bed J is provided with a vertical flange jl, fitting the circumferential IOO edge of the ring j", and is held thereto by the screws js. The dial e is slotted at its periphery, as shown in Figs. l and 4L at e2, to further guide the jacks j jg at their outer ends, which are provided with notches j, engaging the backing-thread w, led from the yarn guide or guides g, fastened to the lower stationary jack cam-bed R.

The jacks jj2, having hubs jf j, are preferably operated by cams in about the same way as the needles are operated. In lacing a backing-thread of wool or other material onto a ribbed fabric it is not always desirable to lace the said thread with each mesh formed by the needles, iirst, because the backingthread is generally chosen of thicker and bett-er quality of yarn than that of which the body is composed; secondly, to prevent bunching of the backing itself; thirdly, to

give an even and smooth inner face to the fabric, and, fourthly, to prevent the appearance of the backing-thread on the outer face i of the fabric. For the latter reason it is desirable to interlace the backing thread only 1 with the meshes forlned by the vertical needles t" r2, and for the former reasons it is de- 1 sirable to interlace the backing-thread with o2, which meshes are in vertical direction between the meshes formed bythe needles o of j the preceding row, with which the backingthread w was interlaced, as is clearly shown in Fig. C.

It is obvious that when the backing-thread w is to be interlaced with every other mesh of a horizontal row of meshes formed by the vertical needles, as mentioned before, two sets of jacks j andy'2 and two jack-cams r and' must be provided, one set of jacks, y

operating in conjunction with the vertical needles e" and the other set of jacks, jg, op-

erating in conjunction with the vertical nee- For this purpose there is arranged dles o2. one conical cam-bed R below the conical jack-bed J and a conical cam-bed T above the said jack-bed J, and in each of the cam- 4 beds R and T are provided the cams o' and t, respectively. mounted on the cam-beds R and T as that their highest points or highest sections lic in a diametrical line of the machine when the i latter is a two-feed-i'. e., when the machine is provided with two sets of cams for the vertical and the horizontal needles and two guides Zi for the yarn which is to compose the body of the ribbed knit web.

The mounting of the different devices,

cams, cam-beds, and dial and the movements of the needle-cylinder, needle-dial, and jackbed is accomplished in the following manner: f

Onto the base D are fixed, diametrically opposite each other, two posts d', which are offset and threaded at their upper ends to first These cams r and t are soi hold the cam-dial e in proper position by the brackets c4 and the nuts e2 and c3, and, secondly, to support the transverse arm E, on which the hollow central spindle E is adjustably suspended, the adjustment being attained by the nut e5 for the purpose of producing finer or coarser knitted rib fabrics, as may be desired and as is well known by those skilled in the art. The stationary spindle E' carries at its lower end the hub of the conical. cam-bed R, which is rigidly secured thereto. The upper cam-bed T is connected with the lower cam-bed R by screws, so that both beds are held stationary and rigid to the base of the machine.

On the top of the hub of the upper cam-bed T and around the hollow spindle E is mounted a washer e, and on this a sleeve E2, surrounding the spindle E. The sleeve E2 is provided with a iiange, to which the rotating needledial c is secured.

To insure synchronous movements of the needle-cylinder c, needle-dial e, and jack-bed J', a toothed ring or gear-wheel 7L is interposed and fastened between the bevel-wheel f2 and needle-cylinder c, and with this wheel 7L mesh the two pinions h', fastened to shafts h3, journaled in brackets h2, which are disposed diametrically opposite each other and fastened to the base of the machine. On the upper end of these shafts 7a3 are loosely mounted the pinions h4, which mesh with a gearwheel 71.0, secured to the sleeve E2, so that the needle-dial c and jack-bed J are driven at the same speed as that of the needle-cylinder c. To set and retain the needle-dial and jackbed in proper relative position to the needlecylinder, any device may be connected to the shaft 71.3 and the loose pinion 71:2' but preference is given to that shown in Fig. 2, which is simple, rigid, and the necessary adjustments may be made very readily thereby. This device consists of a forked arm or hub h5, secured to the upper end of each shaft h3, in the prongs of which screws 77,6, with counternuts or jam-nuts 7M, are provided to hold the tongue or projection h8 of the pinions 7L4 rigidly between them. l5 y unserewin g one and tightening the other screw 7L the needle-dial e and jack-bed J may be brought into proper position with the needle-cylinder c.

To insert or remove the jacks 7" and je, a removable piece or cap r2 is provided in the lower cam-bed R, which is fitted into and held to the latter by screws accessible from the under side of the machine. The portion of the cam r which is cut away at this point of the cam-bed R is provided for bymaking the cap-piece r2 thicker than the bed R, so that the inner face of the cap is flush with the inner face of the cam r, and cutting a groove in the inner face of the cap r2 in line with the groove of the cam a" for-the hubs j of the jacks y", as shown in Figs. l and 4.

In Fig. 5 are illustrated in their relative positions a cam of the cam-dial e", a cani of the cam-cylinder CZ, and a cam tfor operating IOO IOS

IIO

IIS

one set of jacks jg. It may here be remarked that when ribbed knit fabric with a backing, as shown in Fig. 6, is desired- 12. e., when the backing-thread w is to be interlaced with meshes of every other wale produced by every other vertical needle-one j ack-cam must be provided for each cylinder-cam. For instance, a two-feed machine, as shown, is provided with two thread-guides g for the backing-thread w and with two jack-cams o' and t, of which the cam r operates the jacks j and the cam the jacks j? Now as there are as many jacksj and v7'2 as there are needles o and c2 and each of the latter are actuated twice during each revolution of the needle-cylinder, while the jacks j andy'2 are actuated by their respective cams fr and t only once during the same opera-tion, it will be seen that a backing-thread `w is interlaced with a mesh of every other Wale. It will, however, be understood that should the backing-thread w be interlaced with each mesh formed by a dial-needle or a vertical needle one set of jacks, having their hubs projecting in one and the same direction, are necessary, and one jack-cam r or t must be provided for every cam in the cam-cylinder or cam-dial.

In Fig. G are shown seven cylinder-needles on center lines 1,2, 3, 4, 5, G, and 7, and these lines are also indicated in Fig. 5. Dial-needles 7L and jacks ,7" and are also shown in Fig. 6, and the operation of the jacks jg in conjunction with their respective cylinder or vertical needles c2 may be readily seen from both Figs. 5 and 6.

In describing1 the operation of interlacing the backing-threads, of which two ends are used in the machine shown in the drawings, it is deemed suflicient to describe the interlacing of one thread w by one set of jacks 3'2 only, because the other thread or threads controlled by the set of jacks j is or are interlaced in precisely the same manner.

To interlace the backing-thread w with the meshes to be formed by the vertical needles c2, the thread is led from the outside of the machine through the hollow spindle E', Figs. l and 4, and then through one of the guides g, Figs. l, 4, and 6. From the diagram Fig. 5 it will be seen that assuming that the needlecylinder c, needle-dial e, and j ack-bed J', with the needles and jacks, move in the direction indicated by the arrow, the jacks jz first rise in a slanting direction to push the thread w over the vertical needle o2, as shown at 6, Fig. (i, while the vertical needle r2 is held depressed. The jacks ji, in passing farther through their cam t, recede and the vertical needles begin to rise, so that the thread w is brought fully back of the needles c2. Needles n2, 1J', and 7L now forni in the usual manner the loops o and h, and the needles ci cast off the iinished meshes o, together with the thread w, interlaced with the said mesh, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

It is obvious that modifications maybe made in the details of constructionof the machine, the shaping of the jacks and their operating cam or cams, and also in the interlacing of the backing or other thread with either or all of the meshes produced by the vertical needles or horizontal needles or both, or of certain meshes produced by either or both of them, without departing from the spirit of the invention; and it is also obvious that any other form of machine for producing a ribbed knit fabric may be provided with jacks or similar devices to bring a thread w over a needle to be interlaced with a mesh formed by such needle.

Having thus described the nature andl objects of my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A knitting-machine having two sets of needles and cams therefor for producing ribbed fabrics, jacks or loopers, cams and a bed therefor operated by the driving mechanism of said machine to interlace a supplemental thread with the meshes produced by the said needles, substantially as and for the' purposes set forth.

2. A circular-knitting machine having two sets of needles and cams therefor, in combination with a conical j ack-bed supported centrally of the machine, jacks or loopers mounted in said bed, and cams adapted to ope-rate the jacks or loopers in conjunction with certain of the said needles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A circular-knitting machine having two sets of needles, needle-cylinder, cam-cylinder, needle-dial and cam-dial together with jacks or loopers operatively mounted in grooves of a jack-bed fastened to the needledial, and cams adapted to operate the said jacks or loopers in conjunction with the said needles to interlace a supplemental thread with the meshes produced by the said needles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. A circular-knitting machine having two sets of needles aneedle-cylinder, cam-cylinder, needle-dial and cam-dial, together with two sets of jacks operatively mounted in grooves of a jack-bed fastened to the needledial, and two sets of cams each adapted to operate in conjunction with certain of the said needles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5 A knitting-machine for producing ribbed knit fabrics having two sets of needles and cams therefor, and jacks or loopers operated by cams to bring an extra thread from the inside of the machine over certain of the needles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

G. A circular-knitting machine having two sets of needles and means for operating the saine, a system of loopers or jacks operated by cams to interlace a supplemental thread with the meshes produced by the said nee- IOO IIO

dles and means for supplying the said loopers with yarn, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

'7. In a circular-rib-knitting machine the combination of two sets of needles a cylinder and a dial therefor, a system of loopers or jacks, guided in slots of the said dial, a bed for said loopers or jacks and means for operating the said needles and loopers, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a circular-knitting machine the combination of two sets of needles, a system of loopers or jacks and means for operating said needles and loopers, a hollow spindle supporting a sleeve, a needle-dial and a bed for the system of loopers or jacks the spindle adapted to lead a supplemental thread from the outside of the machine to the said needles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. A knitting-machine for producing ribbed knit fabric comprising a rotating needle-cylinder and needle-dial, a stationary cam-cylinder and cam-dial, said needle-cylinder driven from a main shaft by bevel-gears, a gear-wheel fastened to said needle-cylinder 'and meshing with pinions each fastened to one end of a shaft, pinions adj ustably held ou the other ends of said shafts and meshing with a gear-wheel attached to a sleeve supporting the said needle-dial, a jack-bed attached to said dial and rotating therewith, and a hollow spindle carried by a cross-arm of the machine, for guiding the said sleeve and supporting the cam-beds for the said jacks, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

I l0. A knitting machine for producing ribbed knit fabrics, comprising a rotating needle-cylinder and needle-dial, a stationary cam-cylinder and cam-dial, two posts, a crossarm supported thereby, said dial adjustably held on said posts, a hollow stationary spindle suspended centrally from the said arm, jack-actuating cams secured to said hollow spindle, a sleeve surrounding said spindle and supported thereby, a jack-bed and said needle-dial fastened to said sleeve and receiving rotary motion from the rotating` needle-cylinder by gearing, jacks slidingly mounted in the rotating jack-bed and actuated by the said j ack-cams to operate in conjunction with certain of said needles, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

1l. A knittingmachine for producing ribbed knit fabrics comprising two sets of needles,a needle and a cam cylinder, and needle and cam dial, two posts, a cross-arm supported thereby, said cam-dial adj ustably held to said posts, a hollow spindle suspended from said arm and surrounded by a sleeve carrying the needle-dial and a jack-bed, jacks slidingly mounted in the said jack-bed, a jack cam-bed fastened to the lower end of thehollow spindle, which is provided with one or more thread-guides, and a removable section by which the jacks may be removed from the said bed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

l2. A knitting machine for producing ribbed knit fabrics, comprising a rotating needle-cylinder and needle-dial, a stationary cam-cylinder and cam-dial, said needle-cylinder driven from a main shaft by bevel-gears, a gear-wheel fastened to said needle-cylinder and meshing with a pinion fastened to one end of a shaft journaled in a bracket attached to the machine-bed a pinion having a proj ection mounted loosely on the other end of said shaft, a forked arm attached to said shaft yand having at its forked ends set-screws,

which impinge against the projection of the loose pinion, two posts attached to the base of the machine, a cross-arm supported thereby, said cam-dial held adjustably to said posts, a hollow central spindle suspended from the cross-arm, one or more jack cam-beds fastened tothe lower end thereof, a rotatable sleeve surrounding said spindle and supported by said jack cam-beds, a jack-bed and said needle-dial attached to said sleeve,a gearwheel also secured to said sleeve and meshing with the loose pinion before mentioned, and jacks slidingly mounted in said jack-bed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID C. BELLIS. Witnesses z ANTOINETTE l-I. BRUSH, Louis H. Non. 

